### Answer Retell AI's turn-taking model determines when to send

response_required

events by analyzing conversational cues including tone shifts, pauses, and sentence patterns [(1) ]() [(2) ]() . The model uses predictive timing to ensure smooth transitions between speakers [(2) ]() . For Custom LLM WebSocket agents, Retell continuously assesses when it's appropriate for the agent to speak and sends

response_required

when determined suitable, though not all responses requested will be spoken if the user continues speaking [(3) ]() . The system sends

update_only

events for transcript updates when users or agents speak, and sends

response_required

or

reminder_required

events when responses are needed . Your configuration shows high responsiveness (0.95) and interruption sensitivity (0.92) [(4) ]() [(5) ]() . The

responsiveness

parameter controls how responsive the agent is, with values ranging from [0,1] where higher values mean faster exchanges . The

interruption_sensitivity

parameter controls how sensitive the agent is to user interruptions, with higher values making it easier for users to interrupt . Regarding denoising, the

denoising_mode

parameter can be set to different values . The documentation doesn't specify a minimum utterance duration threshold for

response_required

events or explicitly state that denoising mode affects turn-taking promotion for short utterances. The turn-taking model combines acoustic signals with semantic

understanding to determine whether a user is pausing or finished speaking [(1) ]() . It waits patiently if the user hasn't finished talking to reduce interruptions . For your specific issue with 1-word utterances not triggering

response_required

, I recommend checking your agent's responsiveness and interruption sensitivity settings, and verifying your denoising configuration. The sources don't document a specific minimum duration threshold.

Feel free to tag @AI Evy with additional questions. I also appreciate feedback, it helps me improve.

​ To learn more, see the sources I considered: [[1] VAD vs. Turn-Taking Endpoints in Conversational AI | Retell AI](https://www.retellai.com/blog/vad-vs-turn-taking-end-point-in-conversational-ai) [[2] Retell AI's Turn-Taking Model for Seamless Calls | Retell AI](https://www.retellai.com/blog/how-retell-ais-turn-taking-model-ensures-seamless-calls) [[3] LLM WebSocket](https://docs.retellai.com/api-references/llm-websocket) [[4] Update Voice Agent](https://docs.retellai.com/api-references/update-agent) [[5] Create Agent Version](https://docs.retellai.com/api-references/create-agent-version) ​

### Answer Based on the available documentation, I can address your questions about short utterance handling: Question 2 - Denoising Mode: The documentation specifically states that "No denoising" mode should be chosen "if you experience issues with missing short responses (e.g. 'sure', 'yes') " and notes this is particularly relevant "when background noise is not significant." [(1) ]() This directly applies to your situation where single-word replies like "No." aren't triggering

response_required

. Even without background noise, switching to "No denoising" mode may help with short response detection. Custom LLM WebSocket Behavior: For Custom LLM agents, Retell "continuously assess[es] if it's a good time for agent to speak, and would ask for content for response / reminder when appropriate." [(2) ]() The system sends

response_required

events when determined suitable, though "not all responses Retell ask for would get spoken out (as user might continue to speak) ." Backchannel Configuration: Your agent has

enable_backchannel

set to true with

backchannel_frequency

at 0.8. [(3) ]() Backchannel is described as when the "agent interjects the speaker with phrases like 'yeah', 'uh-huh' to signify interest and engagement" and "tends to show up more in longer user utterances." The documentation doesn't explicitly state whether this affects turn-taking for short utterances. What's Not Documented: The sources don't specify: - A minimum utterance duration threshold for

response_required

events [(2) ]() - Whether this threshold can be adjusted - How backchannel settings specifically impact short utterance promotion **Recommendation:

** Try switching

denoising_mode

from "noise-cancellation" to "no-denoise" since the documentation explicitly mentions this helps with missing short responses like "yes" and "sure." [(1) ]()

​ To learn more, see the sources I considered: [[1] Handle background speech & noise](https://docs.retellai.com/build/handle-background-noise) [[2] LLM WebSocket](https://docs.retellai.com/api-references/llm-websocket) [[3] Update Voice Agent](https://docs.retellai.com/api-references/update-agent) ​

Feel free to tag @AI Evy with additional questions. I also appreciate feedback, it helps me improve.